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Sometimes, to save another, you have to look at your own weaknesses first.

Ever since Nicholas saw the small Dragon in chains in the scrying bowl, he knew that he had to save him. For some reason Nicholas is drawn to the other man and he won’t rest until he knows he’s safe.

Tommy has been a captive from the day he was born. When he is rescued by Nicholas he feels an instant connection to him.

But Tommy is afraid to let his guard down and let anybody get close to him.
Can Tommy overcome his abusive past? Or will it doom him and Nicholas from finding love?

I’m a pretty big sucker for dragon shifter stories and then when some hurt/comfort gets thrown in there, well that’s just a recipe for delicious escapism. That’s what I had a hankering for, but I would advise to pay close attention to the blurb:

For some reason Nicholas is drawn to the other man

When he is rescued by Nicholas he feels an instant connection to him.

“For some reason” and “An instant connection” are key here. “For some reason”, now generally, I like more than “some reason” but it didn’t happen, so I just had to trust it was a thing. The story is too short to get a real connection so there’s the standard shifter/paranormal “instant connection” and again I had to just go with it.

Now I don’t want you to think I’m cracking on this story too hard, believe me, I love me a good insta-love shifter fest now and again and Dragon’s Breath is an easy to read 62 pages of just that. I just needed some ‘moments’ to make the story stand out and I think the set up lent itself to that so it just seemed like an opportunity missed. Tommy was over a lifetime of slavery in a hot minute after he sees Nicholas and I don’t necessarily need a ton of reality, but I missed the comfort part of the hurt/comfort.

While Dragon’s Breath is the third in the series, there’s really not a ton of world building you need backup for so you can easily read it as a standalone. I did read the first two just because and they all have about the same level of depth, but my only niggle is they all end at about the 85% mark and have a blurb and preview for another book. When I’m already feeling a little shortchanged on detail, I don’t like to get “The End” when I’m expecting (and wanting) another 15%.

For some quick brain candy with likable, albeit surface level characters, dive on in. Dragon’s Breath isn’t the most memorable of stories, but it is an entertaining diversion which is always a good thing to have on deck for when RL is just not doing it for you. Soak up the insta love/lust and go with an easy HEA, ain’t nothing wrong with that.

Hi, everyone! I’m the McKay half of Ari McKay, and I’d like to start by thanking Boy Meets Boy Reviews for hosting us on our blog tour for our newest release, Breaking Bonds. I thought it might be fun to do a brief author interview for this post, so let’s dive into the Q&A! Just as a side note, I’m speaking only for myself with these answers. Ari might have different responses.

Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing/etc. come from?
I was read to a lot pretty much from the time I was born, so it’s unsurprising that I began reading early and had a pretty big vocabulary from a young age. My love of books became ingrained, and I’ve always been a voracious reader. I started writing stories (Disney fanfiction, basically) when I was around 9 or 10, and I’ve been writing ever since.

What books have most influenced your life? Jane Eyre is a big one. I’ve always loved stories focused on love and romance, but I think reading Jane Eyre at a relatively young age (I was around 12 or 13) helped shape my preferences. Jane is such a strong and strong-willed character who wants to be an equal partner. “Reader, I married him” is such a wonderfully feminist and subversive line.

What is the hardest thing about writing for you?
Putting my butt in the chair and doing it. Ari and I will often say we’re spoiled because it’s so much easier and faster to write with someone than to write alone, and it is, but that doesn’t mean we can make ourselves write every day. Sometimes, one of us will be exhausted or emotionally/mentally drained after a hard day. Sometimes, one of us won’t feel well. Sometimes, one of us just isn’t feeling it that day. Sometimes, the character is being balky.

Deadlines certainly do help with motivation, but we don’t always have a looming deadline to keep us on track. For my solo writing, I’ve found it helpful to assign myself deadlines with a planned reward if I make it, and I check in with Ari about my progress to hold myself accountable. Knowing I have to admit that I didn’t meet my goal to someone else will often give me a little push to keep going.

Is there a message in your novel that you hope readers will grasp?
There are a couple of different messages that Ari and I would like people to take away from the book. The title comes from the inner struggles that both Carter and Liam have to face over the course of the book. Carter has to deal with his toxic, controlling parents, which is an obvious bond that needs to be broken if he wants to be happy. Liam’s bonds are more subtle, but they exist, and he has to deal with them.

So the main theme of the book focuses on making choices about the direction of your life. What are you willing to put up with in order to maintain the bonds you have? Are the bonds supporting you or holding you back? Making big changes is scary, but sometimes the results are worth it.

What are your future project(s)?
Let’s see… Currently we’re working on a third book in the Walker Boys series, the first book in a series for Dreamspinner Press’s Dreamspun Undercover line, and a short story for Dreamspinner’s holiday Daily Dose. We’re also working on a contemporary romance that we’re planning to self-publish; if it does well, it could easily turn into a series as well. That’s what is in our immediate writing queue. Beyond that, we’ve got the second and third books in the Asheville Arcana series to write. The first book, Out of the Ashes, will be released by Dreamspinner in August. With us, it’s always a case of too many books to write and too little time!

BLURB:

From the frying pan into the fire.

After a critic’s review attacks both Chef Liam Walker’s culinary skills and his personal life, Liam can no longer take the heat of the cutthroat New York City restaurant scene. He needs to get out of the kitchen—at least long enough to cool down and regroup.

At the Overlook Resort in North Carolina, Liam meets owner Carter Galloway. Carter has a passion for the hospitality business to rival Liam’s own, and it’s not hard to see where their shared interests—and attraction—could lead. But Carter has no interest in a fling, and Liam has no intention of walking away from the career he fought so hard for. If they want a taste of happiness together, they’ll have to find the courage to break the bonds threatening to pull them apart.

Ari McKay is the professional pseudonym for Arionrhod and McKay, who have been writing together for over a decade. Their collaborations encompass a wide variety of romance genres, including contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, gothic, and action/adventure. Their work includes the Blood Bathory series of paranormal novels, the Herc’s Mercs series, as well as two historical Westerns: Heart of Stone and Finding Forgiveness. When not writing, they can often be found scheming over costume designs or binge watching TV shows together.

Arionrhod is a systems engineer by day who is eagerly looking forward to (hopefully) becoming a full time writer in the not-too-distant future. Now that she is an empty-nester, she has turned her attentions to finding the perfect piece of land to build a fortress in preparation for the zombie apocalypse, and baking (and eating) far too many cakes.

McKay is an English teacher who has been writing for one reason or another most of her life. She also enjoys knitting, reading, cooking, and playing video games. She has been known to knit in public. Given she has the survival skills of a gnat, she’s relying on Arionrhod to help her survive the zombie apocalypse.

Seb Calloway isn’t interested in shifters. After his best friend bonded with one, he avoids getting involved with them—no matter how hot they are—to prevent the same thing from happening to him. Why take the risk for a few hours of fun?

Tim Walters is the pack doctor. Considered to be mild-mannered and non-threatening by pack standards, he prides himself on being able to stay calm and maintain his control at all times. Desperate for a bond of his own, he knows his interest in Seb is an exercise in futility, but he can’t seem to help himself.

When news emerges that threatens Seb’s safety, he and Tim need to fake a relationship to keep Seb safe. Despite Seb’s refusal to be anything other than friends with benefits, what starts out as pretend, quickly becomes more—for Tim at least. If Tim doesn't want to end up heartbroken, he needs to prove to Seb that loving a shifter doesn’t mean losing himself.

First things first, I didn't read the first one in this series and I should have. Don't be like me. Read the first one. There were quite a few references to the events and characters in Bitten by Mistake that at times had me scratching my head.I muddled through and pieced things together because we hit the ground running in Bitten by Design. Seb is Jared's BFF and took over his flat after he moved in with his bonded mate, Nathan. Tension is brewing between the P-Pack and Regent's Park pack with some rogue shifters thrown in to spice things up. Seb's caught in the crossfire so to speak and takes a header down the stairs when there's a scratch at his door. He lands himself in the hospital with a broken leg, wonky wrist and a verra attentive doctor.Tim is the pack doctor and has a crush on Seb, so when he turns up hurt presumably by the rival pack he gets all possessive and protective. I love it when they get all"mine-y".

YERP! What I heart about shifters is even when they're not the alpha they're still kinda alpha with the growling and whatnot! Plus the whole "mates" thing, though Seb and Tim aren't fated mates which is at the tippity-top of my list, but they get close enough for me. Jacobs packed a whole passel of things I like including scenting, biting, marking and... uh... getting messy.

Tim likes it messy as does Seb. *eyebrows* The little gasping, half/broken sentence, begging had me squirming with delight and then Tim went and preened after marking his territory and... #DECEASED! I couldn't have asked for anything more but just to seal the deal Jacobs threw in the fake boyfriend trope! The pack decides since Seb wants to go home that it'd be best if Tim pretends to be his boyfriend because shifters all have a keen sense of smell. So... Tim and Seb have to really "sell" this boyfriends gig.

The only fly in the ointment is Seb keeps telling himself and saying out loud (which kinda made me want to staple his mouth shut) that he's not interested in being in a bonded mate relaysh. He's plenty attracted to Tim but he keeps hurting his feels when he says their relationship is temporary or faux or whatever which he seems oblivious to, but then proceeds to up the ante in their sexual relationship. The mixed signals thing got a little old and I wish he would've talked to Tim sooner, but that's really my only gripe.

When things ramped up with P-Pack is when I really invested in this series. There is still much animosity between the packs and I would like to formally request an enemies to lovers story featuring Alec and Mark, pretty please with glitter on top.

While I'm praying to the shifter gods to rain shifter hate sex confetti on me I'll continue to float around on the bonded mate fluff infused cotton candy cloud that is Tim and Seb and their HEA. Because it was adorbz, had some feels and hot all at once. Quite the trifecta there.

My first Jacobs was a rousing success and I'm hopeful there will be another Regent's Park Pack story because I like the way she writes pack dynamics and this relationship evolved convincingly. So I'd recommend this to shifter fans or those who enjoy a smuffy, low angst romance.

Firefighter Jason "Jase" Weller and EMT Scott Bronson are living the perfect life. They work together in jobs they love, they live together, and in their downtime, they still can’t get enough of each other. It’s been six amazing years. Then on Christmas Eve, Jase’s former lover Elsa shows up with a six-year-old girl in tow. The strung-out junkie claims Kerry is Jase’s daughter and it’s his turn to care for her, and then she walks out.

Shocked at both the fact that Elsa is now a junkie and that he has a daughter he never knew about, Jase nonetheless steps up to the plate as her father and Scott offers his full support. Having an instant family comes with plenty of challenges, and the two men work to deal with sweeping changes in their lives and to make things right for Kerry.

It’s not going to be easy, and their new circumstances test them and their relationship like nothing ever has. They’ll need all the love they have for each other, and the love they discover for their daughter, to keep from breaking apart.

Listening Length: 6 hrs 18 minNarrator: Steve Balderson

This was a super sweet, uplifting story about a little girl who has been neglected by her drug addicted mother and then gets united with her father and his long-term partner. There is hope, love and quite a bit of fear as these two men become instant dads to this six year old girl, so why didn’t I even finish it? I got sooooo bored!

I don’t really know what I was expecting, if I was expecting anything in particular at all, but it most definitely was not a ‘preparing for parenting 101’ book. I got to about 50% through and within the story two weeks had passed since Jason discovered he had a daughter and starting caring for her. All we had seen was their mundane aspects of life and in waaaay to much detail. Details about the lists these men had to make to prepare for their daughter. Details about what breakfast was like, almost every morning! Details about what furniture they’d need for her room and then seeing that shopping trip. I understand the need for all that stuff in a story when the plot is essentially about becoming a parent, but I really thought it would be the first 30% at most and then we’d get to a story line. It would’ve been nice to see something happen other than shopping, preparing and the boys going to work.

I probably could have persevered and enjoyed the story at a slow pace if reading this, but unfortunately the narration was starting to grate on me.

The dialogue was extremely rushed, extremely! It was super difficult at times to figure out who was speaking and that wasn’t helped by very very subtle differences in the two main characters voices. Due to the rushed dialogue it was also hard to differentiate between what was being said and what was being thought by the characters. I hate that, it just leaves me confused and I don’t like being confused when listening to a book. On top of that there were these weird periodic pauses in the narration that make the voice sound quite robotic… It was very off putting!

Obviously the story will work for some people who like a nice slow-paced family- building/healing story, it was much too slow for me though. I wouldn't recommend this audiobook though, just read the book. However, I would listen to something else by this narrator as I haven’t heard anything else by him and I could see the potential for him to be an enjoyable narrator.

Just hours before Brandon Harris is supposed to head home to Cincinnati for a Labor Day family picnic, his boss at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame forces him into giving a private tour to bratty British pop-rock star Lucas Black. Before he knows it, he finds himself swept up in a whirlwind road trip through Ohio with Lucas riding shotgun.

Lucas grabs hold of this wild opportunity to run away—even for a few precious days—from the gilded cage that is his carefully managed life. He's just looking for a little fun and freedom as a normal person. From roller coasters to a college football game, Brandon begins to see the real Lucas Black buried under the famous persona. But by the time he and Lucas discover their mutual attraction, they only have one night left before both of them have to go back to their real lives. The fun is over...unless Lucas can run away for real this time and keep their adventure going.

There are a few things that can guarantee my excitement and that is rock stars, boys in the closet and road trips. This book has all of the above and they gave me all that I could have wanted in a short story.

Brandon Harris loves working at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum. His love for music gave me all the feels because I am a self-proclaimed music nerd. When Brandon is given the task of guiding a British pop star on a solo tour that shut down the museum, he is less than thrilled. While Brandon loves music, his tastes don’t lend the pop charts and what he knows of Lucas Black, it’s nothing worth writing home about.

But… things aren’t always as they seem and while the British pop star starts off as annoying they soon change as the men find common ground in what else, music. When they hit the tour and come to John Lennon’s piano, the age old question of who Brandon prefers – Beatles or Stones – is asked and the young men start to let guards down and allow perceptions to fall away.

Being the music nerd that I am I loved going on the tour with Brandon and Lucas. When Lucas invited Brandon to his show that night, I felt for him because he was supposed to be heading home for a family barbeque but he gives in and goes. He has an attraction to Lucas that he can’t deny but tabloids etc. have pinned Lucas as straight so Brandon allows this new possibility of friendship evolve. I did like that while Lucas pop music isn’t Brandon’s bag, he could appreciate the level of showmanship of Lucas on stage live and how the man not only owned the stage but his love of performing was evident. When Lucas slips Brandon a note inviting him backstage, I thought things would get sexy but really, they didn’t because they became more mysterious as Lucas asks Brandon for a ride and then dons a disguise and off they go on an adventure.

The way you make me feel. I know it’s crazy, and we’ve only known each other for a weekend. But I couldn’t walk away from this. I want us to give it a go, see where the road takes us.

The road tip aspect of the story was fun but due to page length it was also short but then again, they were only driving a matter of a few hours to each stop each day so what could they really do. The road trip allowed Brandon to see Lucas as more than the pop idol that he’d become and get to know the young man whose father took his talent as a cash cow opportunity and how lonely and controlled Lucas’ life really is.

Now I love that both men have a thing for Ryan Adams because Heartbreaker is one of my all-time favorite albums and “Come Pick Me Up” is one of my favorite songs but I have to admit that my crush on a pop idol had me picturing Lucas as well, Harry Styles. Don’t shoot me but… chin length hair, green eyes, long limbs, British, pop star who truly wants to make REAL music, dating Taylor Swift for two weeks and having a closet full of beards??? I mean, just those few things alone to me scream Harry and then the music… if you haven’t heard the type of music Harry currently makes as a solo artist and compare it to what Lucas writes during their trip… I am just saying. Lucas is Harry to me and that my friends makes a huge difference because I adore Harry. So much.

Anyway.

As Lucas gets Brandon to go along on this road trip adventure he gets himself caught up in the life of Lucas Black and finds himself wishing that things could be different. Oh but they totally could if either of these young men knew how to flirt or pick up signals! It was frustrating and yet incredibly endearing to see Lucas throwing things out there that went way over Brandon’s head and thank goodness for ex-boyfriends, Halsey concerts and jealousy because they made for one hell of a hot first kiss.

Yup, they finally get there but man it was so freaking bittersweet to know that both Lucas and Brandon wanted more than one night could or would give them but neither of them knowing how to find ad app that could steer them in the right direction for this road trip of romance and life. Le sigh. Le freaking sigh.

I have to say that the end was super satisfying and I would love to catch up with these two again. They were fun and so adorable with their slow burn road trip romance. This book and these two men truly made my Sunday better for spending it with them.

Elyse Springer is here today promoting her latest, Heels Over Head.Don't forget to enter to win the Amazon GC at the bottom! Good luck!

Hello,
and welcome to the blog tour for Heels
Over Head, my new sports romance where Olympic diving hopefuls battle it
out on the platform... while discovering friendship, family, and love along the
way. I hope you enjoy reading Jeremy and Brandon's romance as much as I enjoyed
writing it!

I'll
be stopping on several blogs throughout the week, so I hope you'll follow along
and join in the discussion. Plus, don't forget to leave a comment at the end of
the post... you'll be entered to win an Amazon gift card!

About Heels
Over Head

Jeremy
Reeve is one of the best divers in the world, and he’s worked hard to get where
he is. He intends to keep pushing himself with one very clear goal in mind:
winning gold at the summer Olympics in two years. That medal might be the only
way to earn his father’s respect as an athlete.

Brandon
Evans is everything Jeremy isn’t: carefree, outgoing, and openly gay. With his
bright-blue eyes and dramatic tattoos, he’s a temptation that Jeremy refuses to
acknowledge. But Jeremy can’t ignore how talented Brandon is—or that Brandon
has no interest in using his diving skills to compete.

They’re
opposites who are forced to work together as teammates, but Jeremy’s fear of
his own sexuality and Brandon’s disinterest in anything “not fun” may end their
partnership before it begins. Until a single moment changes everything, and
they help each other discover that “team” can also mean family and love.

Elyse is an
author and world-traveler, whose unique life experiences have helped to shape
the stories that she wants to tell. She writes romances with LGBTQ+ characters
and relationships, and believes that every person deserves a Happily Ever
After. When she’s not staring futilely at her computer screen, El spends her
time adding stamps to her passport, catching up on her terrifying TBR list, and
learning to be a better adult.

She’s always
happy to chat with other readers, and you can find her online at:

To celebrate the
release of Heels Over Head, one lucky
winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift
card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries
close at midnight, Eastern time, on June 3, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to
U.S. entries. Thanks for followingthe
tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

After a critic’s review attacks both Chef Liam Walker’s culinary skills and his personal life, Liam can no longer take the heat of the cutthroat New York City restaurant scene. He needs to get out of the kitchen—at least long enough to cool down and regroup.

At the Overlook Resort in North Carolina, Liam meets owner Carter Galloway. Carter has a passion for the hospitality business to rival Liam’s own, and it’s not hard to see where their shared interests—and attraction—could lead. But Carter has no interest in a fling, and Liam has no intention of walking away from the career he fought so hard for. If they want a taste of happiness together, they’ll have to find the courage to break the bonds threatening to pull them apart.

THIS! This book right here is what the Dreamspun line is all about. This has it all and I am beginning to think that Ari McKay and I have a fantastic chemistry because I cannot get enough of their writing and the romance they bring to me. YES, to me because this book was made just for me!

Goodness. I love a slow burn romance and when you have a line like Dreamspun that produces instalove like Starbucks does coffee via drive-thru windows, it’s so refreshing to get the slow burn that can drive you crazy. Seriously, it was done so well that I just wanted to lock these boys in a closet or a broken walk-in freezer and not let them out until someone got off.

And yet… I wouldn’t have this story any other way than how I got it. It was, well? Perfect.

Liam Walker has spent the last 10 years of his life doing what he loves, cooking and becoming a chef to rock the culinary world that is New York City. With his mentor Marco Cabrisi at the helm of his career, Liam can’t lose but when a critic gets wind of Liam’s family and background, a negative review sets Liam off. His public encounter with the critic earns him a nickname he doesn’t like nor want and Marco encourages Liam to take some time off to get his head straight. A simple game of anywhere is better than here, leads Liam to the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina and the “rustic with heart” lodgings at the Overlook Resort.

Oh Liam. How I adore your gruff and persnickety manor when you head to the resorts restaurant and find your food lacking. The New York attitude you’ve acquired shows and yet when you demand an audience with whomever is in charge of letting the disgrace that was served to your table out of the kitchen, we see you thaw. Even if it’s just a bit.

The meet cute between Carter and Liam was perfect. You have Liam being an ass about food being and Carter, the owner of the Overlook acknowledging that he is in over his head with his current chef who has amazing potential to become a kickass chef but he can’t afford any better. Liam, ultimately reaches down into his soul that resides with the Walker family in Texas, offers to help Carter in the kitchen while he is there on vacation. Not the exact idea he had of relaxing and yet, this vacation was supposed to help Liam get his head straight and where else would he do that, but the place he loves… a kitchen.

From the first meet Liam and Carter have chemistry. It’s so good and gooey that I ate it up. When they men start to work together and hint around the topic of a fling, we know that they are both extremely interested in the other and while Liam is on board with simply enjoying one another as much as they can while he is there, Carter doesn’t do flings. He doesn’t do flings and we soon find out why and it all comes back to family and Carter has shit for it. Ugh. I don’t like his parents, I don’t like the guilt they have tossed on him about this choice of career and life. They suck. I’ll just leave it at that.

BUT, shitty family aside, Carter is a lovely man who is driven to conquer his dream of owning a successful resort. You can feel how much passion he has for the Overlook from how he remodeled yet did not modernize the rustic feel of the resort. You know how much he needs to succeed but his desire for all of it, mountains and balcony views included is what makes Carter such a wonderful character. His perchance for flirting with Liam is another one of his fine attributes but his follow through leaves me wanting and the wanting is not bad.

Through the weeks of Liam’s vacation at the Overlook, we see a new side of him the real side of the chef who loves cooking. As Liam takes on the basic training of the current chef – a young man named Rocky – Liam remembers and rekindles his love for culinary creations. The draw of Carter certainly helps along the way but Liam remains true to his word in every way including the one that will pull him far from Carter.

Oh yeah. This is not only a slow burn romance but it’s one that has this quiet appeal to it. While the UST is palatable, the way both men handle the attraction is so damn respectful and so damn romantic I couldn’t help but feel it. Not just reading the words but when we get to the pivotal scenes, the ones that really matter like the first kiss… goose bumps, a flushed face and all the sighs happened. There was even a moment that made me tear up between Carter and Liam and I was NOT expecting that in a book from a series known for fluff. This book turned up the Dreamspun notch a few levels with its emotional range and I can’t get enough.

Though the men stay true to their word of not having a fling, emotions turn into true feelings and when Liam has to honor obligations it becomes so damn bittersweet. It’s hard to follow your heart when your head butts in with reasons but if bonds are meant to be broken, there is nothing you can do but break them and run to the one that can heal your heart and head. In oh so many ways.

Okay. I’ll stop talking now though I have highlights and notes I haven’t even touched on. I loved Carter and Liam. I loved Carter. I loved Liam. I loved watching Liam teach Rocky and Liam dealing with Marco and Carter dealing with his dad. I adored how the men worked together to find a new blended dream of their own and dammit, I want to see that picture Liam has as his background. This book was so good, so romantic and so everything that I could go on forever but reading a rambling redheads’ review is now where I want you to be. I want you to read this book.

Breaking Bonds is a fantastic addition to the Dreamspun Desire series as well as the second book with one of the Walker boys. Beau is mentioned in this though we don’t get to see him but I would love more from the family because their support is always a welcomed bonus.

Mackenzie Pratt is having the worst luck of his life. His apartment building is being torn down, and since he’s jobless and just weeks away from graduating college, he can’t find anywhere else he can afford to live that isn’t a critter-infested dump. As he’s lamenting the very real possibility of job hunting while couch-surfing, he gets an offer from the coworker of his best friend.

An in-demand mobile app developer and heir to his parents’ fortune, Laurent Beaudry is literally an eccentric billionaire. Even though Mackenzie realizes he’s basically living the plot of a cheesy romance novel, he takes the proffered room in Laurent’s Baltimore mansion. He finds his new housemate to be grumpy, brooding, and, at times, incredibly kind and endearing.

Raised by his brother after their father’s death, Mackenzie spent his formative years plowing headlong through school, focusing on little else beyond earning his teaching certification. He’s never taken the time to explore love and relationships, much less sexuality, so when he finds himself being courted by another man, he has no idea what to do. And when he realizes he might actually return those feelings, his life takes a whole new direction.

Reviewer: Lost in a Book

Well, that was an oddly enjoyable book about nothing. I couldn't help but think of Seinfeld while reading. They made millions while literally having a show about nothing. Outside of the synopsis description, very little happened. Seriously. there aren’t any surprises, plot twists, etc… in this book.

Mackenzie is graduating in a few weeks and unfortunately is being evicted from his apartment. Luckily, his friend Taylor is co-workers with a rich guy who graciously offers a wing of his mansion to sweet “Mack.” Mack was raised by his brother after the age of 15 and has focused on nothing else except going to school and making something of himself. This means he is a virgin and oh so confused with his sexuality. He has never had any urges until seeing Laurent AKA Laurie.

”When he smiled back at me, I got the feeling it was a rare sight. My heart raced, and I could feel my skin flushing all over. It was an unusual reaction for me.”

Laurie is a mobile app developer that is loaded with a B for billionaire. He is eccentric and broody which doesn’t come out to play much in the story. It is mainly just the surrounding characters stating he was eccentric and broody. There is a 12 year age difference and both men have baggage from their childhood. That’s pretty much the gist. Oh wait, there is a serious case of insta-love and irrational jealousy. *smh* At 29%.

There wasn’t much more to this story. There were random events and characters such as Uncle Theo, Henry the ex, River the brother, and Mack teaching science lessons. These events were all loosely tied together and didn’t add anything significant to the story. If anything, the teaching parts detracted from it for me because it brought out my inner educator evaluator and I started judging the quality of his instruction. *shrug*

Let's call a spade a spade, shall we? This was really a book about a younger virgin living with a rich guy in his mansion and a bunch of sex. I didn't hate it. The sex was hawwwwwwt! Seriously.

"I didn’t know what this thing between he and I meant, but I was all fresh out of fucks to give when his nails were digging into my ass cheeks and his teeth were scraping along my neck."

The water park scene…

There was some JV level drama or "angst" sprinkled throughout. The situations and reactions were predictable which pretty much kept the story light and fluffy.

Even with all that said, I liked it. It kept my attention even if I rolled my eyes at some parts. It was sweet like a cute little kitten. I just happen to like a little more bite from my MCs.

If insta-love, sugary sweet, very low angst with a big ol' helping of sex is your thing, I'd recommend it to you.

Sex Ed, an all-new HOT and hilarious M/M comedy from Z.B. Heller is now available!!!

Not the fact that he’s a geeky comic book lover, or that he secretly draws his own comic, Bunny Fu Ninja Warrior. It’s not even classified information that he’s out and proud!

His secret is the shame that he’s a twenty-three-year-old virgin.

Jaxson isn’t waiting for marriage or even afraid of taking that step, he just hasn’t found the one guy who will accept all of his adorkable qualities. Due to an unfortunate mishap with a self-pleasuring apparatus and his favorite appendage, Jaxson meets Tyler Mason. The emerald-green-eyed nurse is a witness to the mortifying incident, leaving Jaxon both grateful and disappointed in their one-time meeting.

And then Tyler somehow shows up at Jaxon’s family dinner.

The very dinner at which Jaxson’s hidden virginity is revealed to everyone, including the captivating nurse.

Even though he secretly found the ER situation hilarious, Tyler is also able to look past it to see Jaxson’s genuine nature and is drawn to the charming and hapless comic book artist. He’s tempted to pursue the inexperienced Jaxson, but a recent and life-altering decision puts a damper on his wants and desires. However, the more time they spent together, the more willing he is to take the risk of juggling his new commitments and winning Jaxon’s affections.

A large, insane, and meddlesome family, two prying co-workers, and a sexy nurse are all trying to give Jaxson a crash course in Sex Ed. Will he pass?

Excerpt:

I opened the nightstand and found the toy I had ordered online. A guy I knew from one of the comic forums I belonged to swore by this toy. All right, maybe we talked about all types of things and not just comics on this particular forum. One time there might have been a discussion about which character we would bang and it sort of went off the cliff from there. My choice would be Superman because I have a dream of being plowed while flying at the same time. My second choice would be Spiderman, because I would be curious as to what he could do with all that webbing. Maybe a little Spidey BDSM play?

The toy which sat in my hand was called The Jackhammer. The tag line on the construction-yellow box read, Giving you a Hand at Jacking Off. The man pictured on the box was wearing a hard hat with only the Jackhammer covering his essential parts. His face was contorted into orgasmic pleasure.

I opened the box and pulled out a plastic object that was about ten inches long. The toy was bright, school bus yellow, with one wide end that narrowed towards the bottom, giving it the illusion of a jackhammer. The fuller end was covered in a clear, soft silicone, with a hole in the middle, which I assumed is where your dick was supposed to go. I threw the box on the floor and lay down on my bed, propping a pillow under my head and making myself comfortable.

With vigorous excitement, I grabbed my stiff dick again and slipped the Jackhammer over the crown, slowly bringing it down the shaft. It felt comfortable and effortless as I wiggled it down until it hit the base. Inside of the toy, the ridges of the silicone made my already sensitive dick want to explode.

My eyes rolled into the back of my head as I pulled the toy painstakingly back up the shaft. I moaned and fisted my hand around the outside, so I could get a good grip on the toy to move it up and down. I looked down to see my shaft appear and then disappear again, the ridged edges inside rubbed against my skin, blessing me with exquisite pleasure.

I closed my eyes and brought myself back to the hypothetical frat house. Kaleb’s throbbing cock jutted out in front of me, waiting for me to take it into my watering mouth. The other brothers surround us, pulling out their own cocks to stroke while they looked upon Kaleb and I. Kaleb grabbed the base of his cock, clutched a handful of my hair and said, “open up.” Of course, I did, because I wasn’t going to deny Fantasy Kaleb. I let him fuck my mouth as I took him all the way down my throat. In this make believe world I had no gag reflex and some pretty mad oral skills.

I pulled the Jackhammer faster along my length as I started to feel the familiar sensation of an orgasm settling at the base of my spine. My balls drew upwards and I knew that I was going to blow my load any minute. I moved the toy faster, its suction tightening around me.

Then it happened. Pain. A pain like none I had ever known, almost paralyzing my body. My eyes flew open and a shriek erupted out of my mouth like a coyote being attacked by a T-rex. I lifted my head, almost afraid to look down, and tried to move the toy slightly, but was unable to, pain searing from the tip of my dick, down the shaft, and into my groin.

Holy mother-fucking douche mongers.

My heart flipped from racing with pleasure to running in fear. I started to panic while I tried again to delicately remove the toy. After several failed attempts I knew I was screwed. With precise, delicate movements, I sat up on the bed, reached to the floor and grab the box the toy came in. I examined it and searched if there was a secret release to get this fucker off. I flipped the box over, scanning the words until I saw some directions I failed to read.

Must use lubricant inside silicone to avoid rupture.

Rupture of what? My dick? Holy shit, I had a ruptured dick! I don’t want to walk around having my dick split in half. What would that mean if I had to pee? Would it go into two different streams? Do people understand how hard it is to point and aim one stream? Now I’ll have two to worry about? What about sex? Will I stick one-half of my dick inside someone while jerking the other side off? Oh, the humanity!

Read Today!

About the Author:

As a little girl it was always a dream for Z.B. Heller to become She-Ra Princess of Power. Since this dream was unattainable, she spent what was probably way too long in college trying to “find herself”. Becoming an artist scratched the creative itch until the stories in her head were getting to be to loud for her to get anything else accomplished.

She lives in St. Louis with her husband, son and Flemish Giant rabbit Chloe. In her spare time she likes to read, stalk celebrities on Twitter and create the type of art people scratch their heads about.

Benjamin Snowley is trapped in a most distressing predicament. He’s been feeling poorly and after having recently recovered from influenza, he knows that the fault for his declining health lies in a vice he wouldn’t dare mention in polite conversation.

Onanism, self-pollution, masturbation. All names for the same sinful affliction.

For Benjamin, it all started back at school, where he first encountered the immoral Frederick Cory. Ever since then, the man has been plaguing Benjamin’s dreams and causing most unnatural urges.

Now is the time for all the infatuation nonsense to stop. With the help of an unorthodox doctor and an indecent proposition to a young stablehand, Benjamin will rid himself of the vile addiction.

But can the experimental treatment be enough to make him forget his feelings for Frederick?

Warning: Contains a clueless young man on a futile quest for chastity and a libertine artist eager to rid him of that goal

That was so much better than I was expecting! I didn’t have high expectations for this one, I don’t know why, I love K.A Merikan and I’m glad they proved me wrong and reminded me why I should always trust their writing!

This is more of a self-discovery story than a romance, but it ends romantically, or happily? I don’t know if you can call orgies romantic? Either way I totally loved it!

Poor Benjamin lives in a time where masterbation or ‘self-abuse’ is the cause of many illness and even death, who knew right?!? It all started when he was 13 and witnessed an older schoolmate making out with another boy?! Oh the scandal! He couldn’t help but indulge in a little ‘self-abuse’ after that. Despite this he doesn’t understand his provilicaties lean towards the same sex until much much later in the book. So be prepared to watch Benjamin struggle with a huge amount of self-loathing.

This book had me shaking my head in disgust, my eyes popping out of my head and absolutely praying for Benjamin to get a clue!! but I loved watching the process of his self- awareness developing. My heart did break for him when he felt so isolated, It was nice when he finally found some freedom. That's what I love about the Merikans they so easily involve so many different emotions into their stories.

But what I think they’re known for is there dirty dirty kinky sex and this book is super dirty, like cum guzzling, spit-roasting, glory holes and gangbangs… just to name a few.

So Benjamin obviously has multiple partners throughout this story and he ends in an open relationship with a man. I think the Merikans have written the best open relationships I’ve read so far. There's an understanding and something a little extra between the couple but both enjoy other men and want to keep it that way. It worked so well for Benjamin and I’m glad he didn’t end up in a monogamous relationship, it wouldn’t have worked for this stage of his life.

If you can handle your frustration at the opinions of the time and don’t mind multiple partners and super dirty sex with a HEA, I’d highly recommend this one!!!

Adam - 3.75 Hearts

I’ll acknowledge the obvious first: the premise of this book is silly and very unrealistic. But the authors were going for a light-hearted and sexy read, and they definitely accomplished that.

This book tells the story of Benjamin Snowley, an upper-class English gentleman who struggles with a major health concern - masturbation. He’s convinced that this his daily practice of “self-pollution” has resulted in his ailing health.

Benjamin consults a doctor with unorthodox methods. The doctor has a simple solution: in order to compensate for the vital fluids the Benjamin loses by masturbating, he’ll need to consume the stronger fluids of working-class men.

Benjamin struggles with this advice, but he soon finds a compelling reason to go through with it - the captivating stable boy on his country estate.

And so begins Benjamin’s descent into debauchery.

Benjamin takes to man-on-man action like a fish to water. He’s eager to try new things, and he soon finds that he prefers being on his knees and making his “donors” happy.

There’s a lot of sex in this book, which could easily have become stale or repetitive. But that wasn’t at all the case. Each sex scene was incredibly hot.

The romantic relationship doesn’t really come into play until the second half of the book. Benjamin’s love interest is Frederick Cory, a libertine who Benjamin went to school with, and who Benjamin blames for his health predicament.

But Frederick slowly brings Benjamin around, convincing him that sex is something pleasurable and acceptable on its own. It takes a while, but with Frederick’s support Benjamin finally learns to accept his desires and kinks.

I’d say this book is more so about Benjamin’s self-discovery than about a romantic relationship, but I still found the romance to be sweet, and the HEA was perfect for these two.

This book takes a lot of suspension of disbelief to enjoy. Benjamin’s naive belief in the “remedy” can get annoying at times. But even so, I ended up really liking this book.

If you’re looking for a sexy MM historical read and are willing to go with the flow, give ‘The Art of Mutual Pleasure’ a try!

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